How Do You Memorize a Poem?

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Many strategies can help readers memorize a poem, including analyzing the poem's form and content, reading it repeatedly, reciting the poem out loud and rewriting the poem. A poem may be memorized for a school assignment, recitation at an event or simply because it moves a reader.

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Analyzing a poem's form can help a reader better understand the work and better commit it to memory. Observe the structure of the poem, including how its lines are broken up and how the sections or stanzas are divided. It's also important to understand, as much as possible, what the poem is actually saying. Having an understanding of the poem's meaning provides great help in memorizing it. Look up unfamiliar words, examine the different images being used and try to interpret the poem's overall theme and message.

Reading and reciting the poem repeatedly is another of the most common ways to memorize it. Try reading the poem before going to sleep at night and in the morning immediately after waking up. Carry around a copy of the poem and read it during idle moments throughout the day. Attempting to rewrite the poem from memory multiple times can also aid in memorization. Try to rewrite as much of the poem as possible, attempting to recall and write more each time.